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Agema, a former state legislator, current member of the Republican National Committee and a regular embarrassment, just can’t seem to stop talking. Most recently, he made headlines after making Facebook posts, AGAIN, that are “critical of” — ha! Let’s get real, here — that are toxic, malevolent, wrong-headed and vile, about Muslims, gays and lesbians.

(According to folks in Agema’s Facebook inner circle, he’s now claiming those posts were meant to prompt debate. Can I get a massive eyeroll?)

Agema’s said things like, no Muslim has ever made a positive contribution to this country, or that gays and lesbians are “filthy” and only supported the Affordable Care Act because they’re dying of AIDS. Real forward-thinking stuff, here. Even when the things he’s saying are contrary not just to good taste and common sense, they’re not in the best interests of his own party, which (at least sometimes) is desperately trying to attract a broader base of voters.

Michigan Republicans aren’t so happy with Agema (leaking those Facebook posts, for example), but in the last week or so things have gotten real.

Betsy DeVos, whose husband Dick DeVos was a GOP gubernatorial candidate in 2006, told the Detroit News’ Nolan Finley that she asked RNC Chairman Reince Priebus to find a way to ditch or “marginalize” Agema. This is big news because the DeVos family is big money in state Republican races. If more funders line up with DeVos, Finley notes, Republicans will take note.

(DeVos told Finley: “Leaders have a responsibility to create an inclusive, welcoming party, not to exclude. What’s going on is cause for concern about our future prospects as a party and our ability to bring people around to our point of view and long-term agenda. We are driving people away who might otherwise support what we stand for.” All excellent points, but it’d be even more impressive if DeVos were this vocal in support of making Michigan a more inclusive and appealing state by, say, pushing for same-sex benefits for public employees or for equal rights for discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation under the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act.)

But Michigan’s top GOP officials have been, if not silent, more obtuse than Agema’s actions merit.

His recent remarks, state GOP Chairman Bobby Schostak told Free Press reporter Todd Spangler, “fly in the face of not only our party, but also our Constitution. The Republican Party stands for freedom of speech, something Russia’s anti-propaganda law tramples on. The Republican Party stands for freedom of religion, and as a member of the Jewish community, I know the pain associated with religious persecution.”

And in his fourth State of the State address, Gov. Rick Snyder took what a lot of folks consider to be a swipe at Agema. But if you blinked, you probably missed it.

“In recent days and recent months in the state of Michigan, we’ve had people make comments that were derogatory, that were negative towards other people. Publicly tonight, I’d like to make a call to all citizens of Michigan to ask us to have a greater degree of civility and respect to others of different backgrounds and different views,” Snyder said.

Snyder visited the Free Press Friday, and when asked directly about Agema, declined to specify or sharpen his comments, saying they’re directed at anyone who uses divisive, discriminatory language. As rebukes go, it was tame, particularly in response to the kind of vitriol Agema spews. (It’s OK to condemn bigotry in plain language, governor. Try it. You might like it.)

In the last few days, U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, and U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, R-Cascade Township, have called for Agema to resign.

But the response, so far, from top state GOP officials like Snyder and Schostak seems a bit tepid.

And here’s why that’s particularly troubling: Agema isn’t simply voicing an opinion. He’s in a position to craft national policy — as in a resolution reiterating the Republican party’s opposition to gay marriage, adopted last year by the Republican National Committee.

Michigan party officials say they’re powerless to remove Agema. But at the very least, it seems the RNC could amend its laws to enable effective removal of folks who have proved embarrassing. They just haven’t.

It’d be nice to see Michigan GOP leaders get serious about taking Agema out of the equation. Maybe this week’s series of RNC meetings in Washington D.C. — at which Agema will be present — would be a good time to start that conversation. Or cynics like myself might assume that GOP’ers condemnation is hollow, that they’re talking about unity and broadening the appeal of the Republican party whilst keeping relics like Agema around to placate the most extreme elements of the party’s base.